Is this stuff ok (old rock)

jmsilhy · 06/06/2020, 04:48 PM

Hi everyone, I just finished a week of bleaching some old dry rock I got from a guy. It was very dirty so I decided to bleach it to make sure it’s a fresh start.

Are these things normal in once live rock?

Tubes, are these bad or can I leave them there?

Worm looking things...

White creamy stuff, was this once coralline?

So after bleaching I suppose no life is left, so now my plan is to rinse really well, dry, rinse again with rodi, dry again, then tank them (new tank and I’m going to seed with 20lb of live rock, 80 lb total)

Thanks!!

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kfisc · 06/06/2020, 05:04 PM

It all looks fine, just leftover vermetid snail tubes and assorted things that once were alive. The worry is trusting the guy enough to know it wasn't exposed to any noxious chemicals, which hopefully you do. You've been rinsing with RODI the whole time as well, probably, to avoid contamination. Nice find.

jmsilhy · 06/06/2020, 06:13 PM

Well not exactly trust the guy, supposedly he removed it from his tank a few months ago and put it in buckets. Is there any way to make sure, like after a few good rinses test the water for something in particular?

Thanks!

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kfisc · 06/06/2020, 09:27 PM

A polyfilter, a pad that changes color when various toxins pass through it, could help. It would mean setting up a quarantine for the rock and then passing the tank water at some stage through the filter, such as a drain. The cool thing about them is they're color-coded for specific chemicals, such as copper, etc.

Haus40 · 06/07/2020, 07:00 AM

Curious how this turns out for you; please update as you go. I've collected a few buckets of dry (formerly live) rock from two different reefers I trust and am working on an upgrade to a 125, so I'm looking to see what works best for people.

From what I'm reading, seems like a RO/DI rinse then setting up and letting it cycle is the minimalist way of going (scrub optional); muriatic acid cleanse is a nuclear option.

jmsilhy · 06/07/2020, 04:17 PM

Sure will.

I found this on another rock, suppose there’s no harm in leaving it, is there?

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kfisc · 06/07/2020, 06:28 PM

No harm; it's just an old coral skeleton.

jmsilhy · 06/07/2020, 06:38 PM

Thanks, now after a sunbath I found some strange coloration (like rusty) in some of the rocks, this after bleaching and rinsing. What do you think? I already ordered the poly to test it when I do the 2-3rd rinse in rodi water...

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Vinny Kreyling · 06/08/2020, 08:27 AM

Looks fine to me.

jmsilhy · 06/08/2020, 11:37 AM

Thanks guys. As I was washing the rock, and removing some of the incrusted things, I occasionally got a bad smell like dead algae or stuff that was once in there. I guess it will eventually leech out and that should help spike the ammonia, right?

So my plan is after rinsing a few times with rodi water, finally throw it in the display tank with sw and some live rock to seed (around 15-20%). This should be plenty for cycling after a few weeks, and after some time with no lights, bacteria should take over and win the battle, correct? Could this stink the whole house if I do it this way?

billdogg · 06/08/2020, 11:53 AM

I think you are overthinking this to the max. If it were mine I'd already have it in some saltwater to start the curing process.

It all looks like very nice rock to me btw!

jmsilhy · 06/08/2020, 01:38 PM

I probably am overthinking, but appreciate your input. It’s been 20 years since my last tank (fowlr), so I don’t want to mess it up that bad! Ha ha

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06/06/2020, 04:48 PM	#1
jmsilhy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: McKinney, Texas Posts: 157	Is this stuff ok (old rock) Hi everyone, I just finished a week of bleaching some old dry rock I got from a guy. It was very dirty so I decided to bleach it to make sure it’s a fresh start. Are these things normal in once live rock? Tubes, are these bad or can I leave them there? Worm looking things... White creamy stuff, was this once coralline? So after bleaching I suppose no life is left, so now my plan is to rinse really well, dry, rinse again with rodi, dry again, then tank them (new tank and I’m going to seed with 20lb of live rock, 80 lb total) Thanks!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/08/2020, 08:27 AM	#9
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Looks fine to me. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

06/08/2020, 11:53 AM	#11
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I think you are overthinking this to the max. If it were mine I'd already have it in some saltwater to start the curing process. It all looks like very nice rock to me btw! __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

06/06/2020, 05:04 PM	#2
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	It all looks fine, just leftover vermetid snail tubes and assorted things that once were alive. The worry is trusting the guy enough to know it wasn't exposed to any noxious chemicals, which hopefully you do. You've been rinsing with RODI the whole time as well, probably, to avoid contamination. Nice find.

06/06/2020, 06:13 PM	#3
jmsilhy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: McKinney, Texas Posts: 157	Well not exactly trust the guy, supposedly he removed it from his tank a few months ago and put it in buckets. Is there any way to make sure, like after a few good rinses test the water for something in particular? Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/06/2020, 09:27 PM	#4
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	A polyfilter, a pad that changes color when various toxins pass through it, could help. It would mean setting up a quarantine for the rock and then passing the tank water at some stage through the filter, such as a drain. The cool thing about them is they're color-coded for specific chemicals, such as copper, etc.

06/07/2020, 07:00 AM	#5
Haus40 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 11	Curious how this turns out for you; please update as you go. I've collected a few buckets of dry (formerly live) rock from two different reefers I trust and am working on an upgrade to a 125, so I'm looking to see what works best for people. From what I'm reading, seems like a RO/DI rinse then setting up and letting it cycle is the minimalist way of going (scrub optional); muriatic acid cleanse is a nuclear option.

06/07/2020, 04:17 PM	#6
jmsilhy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: McKinney, Texas Posts: 157	Sure will. I found this on another rock, suppose there’s no harm in leaving it, is there? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/07/2020, 06:28 PM	#7
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	No harm; it's just an old coral skeleton.

06/07/2020, 06:38 PM	#8
jmsilhy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: McKinney, Texas Posts: 157	Thanks, now after a sunbath I found some strange coloration (like rusty) in some of the rocks, this after bleaching and rinsing. What do you think? I already ordered the poly to test it when I do the 2-3rd rinse in rodi water... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/08/2020, 11:37 AM	#10
jmsilhy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: McKinney, Texas Posts: 157	Thanks guys. As I was washing the rock, and removing some of the incrusted things, I occasionally got a bad smell like dead algae or stuff that was once in there. I guess it will eventually leech out and that should help spike the ammonia, right? So my plan is after rinsing a few times with rodi water, finally throw it in the display tank with sw and some live rock to seed (around 15-20%). This should be plenty for cycling after a few weeks, and after some time with no lights, bacteria should take over and win the battle, correct? Could this stink the whole house if I do it this way?

06/08/2020, 01:38 PM	#12
jmsilhy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: McKinney, Texas Posts: 157	I probably am overthinking, but appreciate your input. It’s been 20 years since my last tank (fowlr), so I don’t want to mess it up that bad! Ha ha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk